Hair retaining device

ABSTRACT

A hair retaining device for placement on a head comprises an annular, elasticized portion for adjusting to heads of varying sizes and for encircling a wearer&#39;s head, said headband having an upper edge and a hair retainer gathered at and extending upwardly from said upper edge of said elasticized portion and terminating at a generally circular retaining lip.

PRIOR APPLICATION

[0001] Applicant claims priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) ofU.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/425,069 filed Nov. 12,2002.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for retaining hair andkeeping it away from the face of the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Headbands which encircle the head partially or fully and includea means, typically elastic, to stay upon the head, are known. Headbandsmay be worn about the forehead for athletic purposes often, such as asweatband, or about the hair itself, for ornamental purposes, to retaina desired hairstyle, or to keep hair off the face.

[0004] There remains a need for a device to retain hair off the face ofthe wearer without crushing the hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A hair retaining device for placement on a head comprises anannular, elasticized portion for adjusting to heads of varying sizes andfor encircling a wearer's head, said headband having an upper edge and ahair retainer gathered at and extending upwardly from said upper edge ofsaid elasticized portion and terminating at a generally circularretaining lip, said lip having a diameter and said upper edge having adiameter smaller than the said lip diameter to form a frustoconicalcollar for retaining hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is front perspective view of the hair band of the presentinvention placed on the head of the wearer.

[0007] FIGS. 2-3 are assembly views of the hair band of FIG. 1.

[0008]FIG. 4 is a top view of the hair band of FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the hair band of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the hair band along line A-Aof FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 shows hair retaining device 10 generally, placed on thehead 12 of the wearer. Device 10 is designed to hold back the hair ofthe wearer and keep it off the face 16 of the wearer so that make-up maybe applied, the face 16 may be washed, or for other purposes when onewould need to keep hair 14 away from the face 16. Device 10 includeselasticized portion 20 and hair retainer 40. Elasticized portion 20contracts about the head 12 of the wearer to hold device 10 in place.Elasticized portion 20 specifically contracts around the forehead 18,along the hairline of the wearer, so as to not disturb or crush the hair14 itself.

[0012] Elasticized portion 20 is annular and has a lower edge 22 and anupper edge 24. Extending upwardly from the upper edge 24 is hairretainer 40. Hair retainer 40, when placed on the head 12 of the wearer,is frustoconical in shape and sufficiently stiff to retain that shapeand prevent it from resting upon the hair 14 on the wearer's head 12.This prevents the disturbance of any hairstyle while keeping hair 12from falling forward onto the face 16.

[0013] Elasticized portion 20 may include any elasticized material or anelastic 30 within a suitable material or fabric covering 32, as shown inFIGS. 2-3. Fabric covering 32 is comfortable to wear upon a head andsoft when contacting the wearer's skin. Suitable fabrics include, butare not limited to, cotton and terrycloth. Fabric covering 32 may beabsorbent to soak up water or other liquids to prevent them from wettingor contacting hair 14, for instance, if wearer is washing her face 16.

[0014] FIGS. 2-3 show assembly of the device 10. Elastic 30, fullyexpanded, may be placed between a folded piece of fabric covering 32,with its length equaling that of fabric covering 32. Center stitch 34 ismade laterally through elastic 20 and fabric covering 32, along theentire length. When elastic 30 is released and allowed to contract,fabric covering 32 puckers, as shown in FIG. 4. This allows device 10 tobe adjustable to heads of various sizes and for elastic 30 and fabriccovering 32 to expand and contract simultaneously.

[0015] Hair retainer 40 may be made of any suitable material orcombination of materials to allow it to retain its frustoconical shape.For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, stiffening material 42, such as mesh,netting, tulle, and the like, may be disposed within fabric 44. Fabric44 is preferably the same material as that of fabric covering 32 ofelasticized portion 20.

[0016] Fabric 44 is of substantially the same length as elastic 30, asfully expanded, and fabric covering 32. Lower edge 46 of hair retainer40 is stitched or otherwise attached to upper edge 24 of elasticizedportion 20 at seem 26. Alternatively, fabric 44 and fabric covering 32may be the same piece of fabric with stitching 26 disposed between theelasticized portion 20 and hair retainer 40 when assembling the device10.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2-3, fabric 44 of hair retainer 40 is gatheredat its lower edge 46 where it is stitched to upper edge 24 ofelasticized portion 20 at seem 26. The gathering results in hairretainer 20 tapering from its upper edge 48 to its lower edge 46 at seem26, as shown in FIGS. 4-5. The tapering continually reduces the diameterof the hair retainer 40 from its upper edge or retaining lip 48 to itslower edge 46 at seem 26 to create a frustoconical shaped collar aboutthe head 12 when elastic portion 20 expands for placement on head 12, asshown in FIG. 5.

[0018] FIGS. 4-5 show the assembled device 10, after ends 50, 52 ofelasticized portion 20 and ends 54, 56 of hair retainer 40 have beenattached together at stitch 60 to achieve a continuous and annularassembly of the device 10. As shown in FIG. 5, device 10 is adjustableto fit varying head sizes. When worn on the head 12, diameter ofretaining lip 48 of hair retainer 40 is larger than diameter ofelasticized portion 20. Only when elasticized portion 20 is fullyexpanded are these diameters equal in length.

[0019]FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view along line A-A of FIG. 5.Elastic portion 20 includes elastic 30 and fabric covering 32 includingcenter stitch 32. Hair retainer 40 includes stiffening material 42disposed within fabric 44. Elastic portion 20 is attached to hairretainer 40 at seem 26.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hair retaining device for placement on a head, said device comprising: an annular, elasticized portion for adjusting to heads of varying sizes and for encircling a wearer's head, said elasticized portion having an upper edge; and a hair retainer gathered at and extending upwardly from said upper edge of said elasticized portion and terminating at a generally circular retaining lip, said lip having a diameter and said upper edge having a diameter smaller than the said lip diameter to form a frustoconical collar for retaining hair.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said hair retainer comprises a stiff material and is at least partially rigid so as to maintain a frustoconical shape and not rest upon said hair when placed on said wearer's head.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said stiff material is disposed within fabric gathered at and extending upwardly from said upper edge of said elasticized portion.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said stiff material is mesh and said fabric is terrycloth.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said elasticized portion comprises a continuous elastic disposed within a fabric covering.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said elastic and said fabric covering are continuously stitched together, said fabric puckered to allow said elastic to expand therein.
 7. A device for holding hair away from a wearer's face, comprising: a band of elasticized material for adjustable retention of said device on a wearer's head, said band contracting about said wearer's head and having and having an upper edge; an annular hair retainer extending upwardly from said upper edge, said hair retainer being frustoconical in shape when said band is expanded for placement upon said wearer's head.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said elasticized material comprises a continuous elastic band disposed in a fabric covering.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein said elastic and said fabric covering are continuously stitched together, said fabric puckered to allow said elastic band to expand therein.
 10. The device of claim 7, wherein said band of elasticized material has a diameter less than any diameter of said hair retainer when said headband is worn on said wearer's head.
 11. The device of claim 7, wherein said hair retainer is at least partially stiff to maintain said hair retainer as frustoconical in shape and prevent said hair retainer from resting upon said hair.
 12. The device of claim 7, wherein said hair retainer comprises stiffening material disposed in fabric, said fabric gathered at said upper edge, to maintain said hair retainer as frustoconical in shape.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein said fabric is terrycloth and said stiffening material is mesh.
 14. A hair band, comprising: continuous twofold fabric having an interior surface and an exterior surface forming an annular inner edge and an annular outer edge of said hair band; an elastic portion disposed within a first portion of said interior surface of said twofold fabric, said first portion along said inner edge of said hair band; and stiffening material disposed within a second portion of said interior surface of said twofold fabric, said second portion along said outer edge of said hair band.
 15. The hair band of claim 14, further wherein said elastic is a band continuously bound to said twofold fabric.
 16. The hair band of claim 15, further comprising stitching through both said twofold fabric and said elastic.
 17. The hair band of claim 14, wherein said exterior surface of said twofold fabric is puckered when said elastic is contracted.
 18. The hair band of claim 14, wherein said twofold fabric is terrycloth.
 19. The hair band of claim 14, wherein said stiffening material is mesh.
 20. A device for retaining hair, comprising: an annular elasticized headband for adjusting to human heads of varying sizes, said headband having an upper edge; a frustoconically shaped hair retainer extending upwardly from said upper edge and terminating at a generally circular retaining lip, said lip having a diameter and said upper edge having a diameter smaller than the said lip diameter to form a frustoconical collar for retaining hair without crushing said hair. 